D-STEM: a Design led approach to STEM innovation
- Submitting institution
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Royal College of Art(The)
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- Toomey3
- Type
- E - Conference contribution
- DOI
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- Title of conference / published proceedings
- A Matter of Design: Making Society Through Science and Technology (Proceedings of the 5th STS Italia Conference)
- First page
- 425
- Volume
- -
- Issue
- -
- ISSN
- -
- Open access status
- -
- Month of publication
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- Year of publication
- 2014
- URL
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http://www.stsitalia.org/v-sts-italia-conference-proceedings/
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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1
- Research group(s)
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-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- This co-authored book section identifies an emerging field of materials-led design practice that engages at a fundamental level with science and technology. It proposes a blueprint for a new design led approach to STEM innovation, supported by case studies, including examples of work by both authors and other pioneers in the field.
The new approach was developed by co -authors, Toomey and Kapsali, whilst establishing a new design research lab at Northumbria University that integrates the lab and studio.
With shared aims to develop appropriate skill sets for smart textile designers in this field, a clear profile for the future practitioner is identified that requires materials knowledge at a smaller lengthscale than current practice, together with an understanding of the vocabulary of material science. This approach positions the designer as innovator through the acquisition of STEM knowledge that is synthesised and integrated into the designers’ toolbox. Justification for a new approach is made in the introduction, and the methodology is compared to and differentiated from existing design practice models. Gaps in current practice and knowledge base, along with suggested causes, are identified . The examples given illustrate ways to fill these gaps.
Both authors have used the identified D-STEM model as a framework to support future work. Toomey has used this principle to establish the Soft Systems Research Group at the Royal College of Art and to supervise PGR candidates. The approach has been shared through international collaborative research with colleagues in HKPU and UCDavis.
The D-STEM model has been further developed and critiqued by colleagues at the RCA and HKPU and the results disseminated at a special session, proposed and convened by Toomey, at the 11th Annual Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, organised by the International Academy of Technology, Education and Development.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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